Tale of the titles: how Paul Nicholls won his championships

Paul Nicholls will be crowned champion trainer for the 11th time at Sandown on Saturday after a season that saw him land his tenth King George VI Chase with Clan Des Obeaux. Below we look back at his first ten titles . . .

2005-06

After seven years of finishing second to Martin Pipe, Nicholls claimed his first title in style by finishing £769,709 clear of Philip Hobbs, as well as winning two Grade 1s at the Cheltenham Festival.

Two of the trainer’s biggest stars, Kauto Star and Denman, won their first top-level races in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown and Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Standout performer Star De Mohaison (total earnings: £152,292)
Number of winners 148
Prize-money £2,402,374

2006-07

Nicholls ended the season more than £1 million ahead of closest rival Jonjo O’Neill and recorded eight British Grade 1 winners.

This was the season of Kauto Star, who remains the only horse to win the Stayers' Triple Crown after victories in the Betfair Chase, the King George and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Standout performer Kauto Star (£607,263)
Number of winners 126
Prize-money £2,972,659

2007-08

After coming agonisingly close the previous season, Nicholls broke the £3m mark for the first time to finish well clear at the top of the table, with David Pipe his closest pursuer.

The trainer enjoyed a notable achievement in March when saddling the first three home in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Denman finishing ahead of Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges.

Standout performer Kauto Star (£471,033)
Number of winners 151
Prize-money £3,646,511

2008-09

Kauto Star became the first horse to regain the Gold Cup as Nicholls reached new heights with a personal best of 155 winners, which helped him finish more than £1m ahead of Nicky Henderson – the beginning of their great championship rivalry.

Master Minded and Tony McCoy on their way to victory in the 2008 Tingle Creek ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

In December, Nicholls landed his 50th Grade 1 winner when Master Minded, ridden by AP McCoy, won the Tingle Creek at Sandown.

Standout performer Kauto Star (£401,482)
Number of winners 155
Prize-money £3,473,329

2009-10

Nicholls won his fifth consecutive title, once again chased home by Henderson, and Kauto Star landed his fourth King George in a row.

The unbeaten streak of Big Buck’s, which began at Cheltenham in January 2009, continued with four Graded victories including his second Stayers’ Hurdle and Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Standout performer Big Buck’s (273,340)
Number of winners 115
Prize-money £2,864,070

2010-11

Nicholls was made to work for his sixth title and fended off a strong challenge from Henderson, who finished £213,594 behind his rival in the title race.

Paul Nicholls with Big Buck'sCredit: Edward Whitaker

Big Buck’s remained a model of consistency, stretching his unbeaten run to 12 after securing the third of his four victories in the Stayers' and Liverpool Hurdles.

Standout performer Big Buck’s (£256,379)
Number of winners 134
Prize-money £2,424,059

2011-12

In another ground-breaking season, Nicholls landed his first Grand National with Neptune Collonges and once again broke the £3m mark to finish well clear of Henderson.

The trainer took seven Grade 1s in total, including the Betfair Chase and King George with Kauto Star and the Champion Hurdle, one of the few top prizes he had yet to win, with Rock On Ruby.

Standout performer Neptune Collonges (£574,674)
Number of winners 138
Prize-money £3,297,804

2013-14

After his run of titles was brought to an end by Henderson in 2012-13, Nicholls returned to the top as he finished £449,957 clear of his rival despite his 20 per cent strike-rate, his lowest in ten years.

Noel Fehily (left) receives a high-five after Silviniaco Conti's first King George winCredit: Edward Whitaker

His biggest winner was Silviniaco Conti in the King George and his blushes were spared at Cheltenham by Lac Fontana, who prevented a stable blank at the festival when winning the County Hurdle.

Standout performer Silviniaco Conti (£250,793)
Number of winners 118
Prize-money £2,469,893

2014-15

Nicholls claimed the crown with more than £1m to spare after a remarkable sequence of 21 Saturday winners saw him beat Henderson by a runaway margin.

The trainer landed 11 Grade 1s, including a ninth King George with Silviniaco Conti and the Champion Chase with Dodging Bullets.

Standout performer Dodging Bullets (£362,578)
Number of winners 124
Prize-money £3,246,894

2015-16

The title race went down to the final day at Sandown as Nicholls held off Willie Mullins to secure his tenth title by £97,825.50, with his coronation marked in style by Ptit Zig’s victory in the Select Hurdle.

Vicente’s win in the Scottish Grand National a week earlier was the turning point, putting Nicholls back in the driving seat after a productive Cheltenham and Aintree for Mullins.

Standout performer Vicente (£147,810)
Number of winners 122
Prize-money £2,439,740

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